Morocco has been elected to a two year term on the African Union’s Peace and Security Council after a first round vote held on Wednesday at the organisation’s headquarters in Ethiopia’s capital, the African Union said.

The kingdom secured 34 votes, more than the two thirds majority required, during elections conducted at the 48th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council, according to official results released after the ballot.

The Peace and Security Council, often referred to as the AU PSC, is the African Union’s standing decision making body responsible for conflict prevention, crisis management and peacebuilding across the continent. The 15 member panel has authority to authorise peace support missions, recommend sanctions and coordinate mediation efforts in disputes between member states or armed groups.

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Morocco’s latest election returns it to the council after previous mandates. Rabat served a two year term from 2018 to 2020 and later held a three year seat from 2022 to 2025 following its re admission to the African Union in 2017.

Moroccan officials said the country would continue to support multilateral efforts to address instability and promote cooperation among member states. In earlier terms Morocco participated in discussions on regional crises and institutional reforms to council procedures, according to official information released by the government.

The election took place during a week of meetings by foreign ministers and senior officials ahead of the African Union’s annual summit of heads of state and government scheduled for Feb 14 and 15 in Addis Ababa.

Morocco’s delegation at the Executive Council session was led by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, the foreign ministry said. The council session reviews policy issues, prepares draft decisions for adoption by heads of state and conducts elections to several AU bodies.

The Peace and Security Council plays a central role in coordinating responses to armed conflicts and political crises in Africa, including oversight of peacekeeping deployments and engagement with regional economic communities and the United Nations.

Member states of the council serve rotating terms of two or three years and are expected to contribute troops, police or financial support to AU peace support operations when requested. Seats are distributed by geographic region under AU rules intended to ensure representation from across the continent.

The African Union, founded in 2002 as the successor to the Organisation of African Unity, seeks to promote political and economic integration and collective security among its 55 member states. Its summit this weekend will review ongoing conflicts, humanitarian situations and institutional reforms, according to the AU agenda.

Morocco will assume its seat on the Peace and Security Council following the conclusion of the current summit cycle, after which newly elected members begin their mandates under AU procedures.